The human desire to build places for worship has often resulted in some of the most breathtaking architectural masterpieces in existence. From historic sites like the Pyramids of Giza or the Parthenon to modern marvels like the Lotus Temple in New Delhi or the Jubilee Synagogue in Prague, humanity has shown the best version of itself when it comes to creating spaces to honor, pray to, and worship a higher power.While there are plenty of examples of stunning religious architecture that prove this, few fully reimagine the limits of human innovation quite like the places of worship that are built directly into nature. Set in caves, perching on cliffs, or carved into basalt, these spiritual sites span many faiths and locations. From a temple in Datong, China, that appears to defy gravity to a hand-hewn stone church in Ethiopia, AD has scoured the globe for the 24 most inspiring, extraordinary houses of worship built into the natural world.Photo: Education Images/Getty Images1/24Church of Apostle Andrew (Priozerskiy rayon, Russia)Just two hours north of St. Petersburg, you'll find a small stone island in Lake Vuoksa holding the Church of Apostle Andrew. Designed by Andrei Rotinov, the Russian Orthodox Church doesnt have any scheduled masses, though it can be booked for weddings and baptisms. Accessible via a bridge, the church is named for the patron saint of fishermen.Photo: 500px/Getty Images2/24Sanctuary of Madonna della Corona (Spiazzi, Italy)If youre taking a trip around Verona, dont miss the opportunity to visit the Sanctuary of Madonna della Corona nestled in the Baldo rocks above the Adige River. Built in 1530, the site is a popular pilgrimage location now open year-round for those who would like to meditate or pray in quiet. While it may look like the structure is dangling off the mountainside, it actually sits on a rock shelf.Photo: RB/Bauer-Griffin/Getty Images3/24Chapel of the Holy Cross (Sedona, Arizona)This church built into the red rocks of Sedona was commissioned by a local sculptor and rancher, Marguerite Brunswig Staude. Staude, inspired by the newly-constructed Empire State Building, originally worked with Lloyd Wright, the son of Frank Lloyd Wright, to construct the temple in Budapest. The outbreak of World War II stopped the project, and Staude decided to construct the church in her hometown, where the church was designed by August K. Strotz.Photo: Alejandro Cock-Pelez/Getty Images4/24Las Lajas Shrine (Ipiales, Nario, Colombia)This Gothic-style church in Colombia is a popular pilgrimage site for Christians in South America because its built at the location where an apparition of the Virgin Mary supposedly appeared. According to the tale, a mother and her daughter, who was deaf, were caught in a storm in the area and sought shelter beneath nearby slabs of stone sticking out from the rocky hillside. While there, the daughter said Jesuss mother was calling her, and she pointed toward a silhouette illuminated by lightning above one of the slabs. The church was built at the site between 1916 and 1949, and its name, Las Lajas, translates in English to the slabs.Photo: GABITUL/Getty Images5/24Paro Taktsang (Paro Valley, Bhutan)This cliffside temple in Bhutan is built around a cave where Guru Padmasambhava (or Guru Rinpoche) meditated and taught Vajrayana, a form of Tantric Buddhism. Starting in the 11th century, many Tibetan saints came to worship at the site, which is located 3,000feet above the Paro Valley.Photo: Boris Streubel/FIFA/Getty Images6/24Ad Deir (Petra, Jordan)This ancient temple in Petra, Jordan, stands at 154feet tall and is carved directly into the red sandstone. The monastery was built, like the rest of the ancient city, by the Nabataeans in the second century. Its been theorized that the building was repurposed as a church during the Byzantine empire.Photo: NurPhoto/Getty Images7/24Churches of Greme (Nevehir Province, Turkey)These churches in Greme were the direct result of the eruption of Mount Erciyes over two million years ago. The volcanos ash and lava formed soft rocks, and the residents soon realized these could be carved out fairly easily to form churches, monasteries, and houses. Inside, many of the churches still display restored frescoes.Photo: ullstein bild/Getty Images8/24Felsenkirche (Idar-Oberstein, Germany)Built between 1482 and 1484, Felsenkirche, which translates to rock church in English, is a Protestant parish built into the side of a rocky cliff in Idar-Oberstein. Legend has it that a prince constructed the church to atone for his younger brothers death. The two brothers supposedly fell in love with the same woman, who ultimately chose the younger of the two. When the older found out, he threw his sibling off the mountain, later building the church where his brother died. However, there is no factual evidence that this ever occurred.Photo: Athanasios Gioumpasis/Getty Images9/24Kipina Monastery (Kalarrytes, Greece)If you look too quickly, you might miss Kipina Monastery. Tucked into the side of the Tzoumerka Mountains above the Kalarytikos River, the structure, which dedicated to the Virgin Mary, was built in the 13th century by a group of monks who had fled the nearby Vyliza Monastery after a disagreement. The monastery is built around a cave using the same stones as the ones from the mountain, making it hard to notice from the ground.Photo: Michael Hicks/Getty Images10/24The Ministers Treehouse (Crossville, Tennessee)The Ministers Treehouse, also known as Horace Burgesss Treehouse, was a huge treehouse built 100 feet in the air across seven trees in Crossville, Tennessee. The structure had multiple rooms, including a chapel with a basketball hoop, before it mysteriously burned down in October of 2019. Burgess, the builder, said God came to him in a vision and told him to build the massive structure. For many years, Burgess, who was also an ordained minister, led services in the property.Photo: Andia/Getty Images11/24Chapel of Saint-Michel dAiguilhe (Aiguilhe, France)Itll take climbing 268 rock-carved steps to reach this church that sits atop a 279-foot volcanic plug. Built in 969, the chapel is dedicated to the archangel Michael, who is the patron saint of mountaintops and high places.Photo: J. Countess/Getty Images12/24Church of St. George (Lalibela, Ethiopia)The Church of St. George is the most famous of the 11 rock-hewn churches in Lalibela, Ethiopia. Made solely from volcanic tuff, the structure was carved downwards and is dated to the late 12th or early 13th century. It is believed to be commissioned by King Gebre Mesqel Lalibela, who wanted to recreate Jerusalem.Photo: Dean Conger/Getty Images13/24The Hanging Temple (Datong, China)This temple near Datong, China, is notable for two reasons: It hangs off the side of a precipice near Mount Heng in Chinas Shanxi Province; and its the only temple that represents the three traditional Chinese philosophies of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. The structure is supported by oak crossbeams that are chiseled into the mountainside. It holds 40 halls and pavilions, and, according to the legend, its construction was started by just one monk, Liaoran, in A.D. 491.Photo: Phil Clarke Hill/Getty Images14/24Salt Cathedral of Zipaquir (Bogot, Colombia)Built 660feet underground within the tunnels of a salt mine, this Roman Catholic church welcomes as many as 3,000 visitors each Sunday. The chapel includes three sections which represent the birth, life, and death of Jesus.Photo: John S Lander/Getty Images15/24Marble Mountains (Da Nang, Vietnam)The Marble Mountains in Vietnam are a collection of five limestone and marble hills that each represent one of five elements: earth, fire, water, wood, and metal. Inside, the mountains hold several Buddhist and Hindu grottoes, sanctuaries, and temples.Photo: Andia/Getty Images16/24Chapel of St. Gildas (Brittany, France)Along the banks of the Blavet River in Brittany, France, youll find the Chapel of St. Gildas built directly underneath a large granite outcrop. The story goes that St. Gildas, a prominent Irish monk, lived with St. Bieuzy in a cave at this exact spot and preached Christianity to a mostly pagan population in the sixth century. The current chapel was built in 1837 and is open to visitors in the summer.Photo: Izzet Keribar/Getty Images17/24Sumela Monastery (Trabzon, Turkey)This Greek Orthodox monastery in Turkey was built in honor of the Virgin Mary within the Pontic Mountains. The structure was likely built between A.D. 375 and 395. While it served for religious purposes for hundreds of years, it is now mainly a tourist attraction funded by the Turkish government. Photo: Getty Images/Sonja Ooms18/24St. Govans Chapel (Pembrokeshire, Wales)Nestled into the cliffs on the southwestern coast of Wales, St. Govans Chapel is a small limestone church built in the 13th or 14th century. The chapel is dedicated to St. Govan, an Irish monk who, according to legend, was saved from pirates during the fifth or sixth century, when the cliffside opened up to create a safe haven for him to hide in. He created a hermitage on the cove and would ring a magical bell to warn others of pirates.Photo: Getty Images/Fabrice Bisignano19/24Temple of Valadier (Marche, Italy)Inside the mouth of a cave in the Gorge of Frasassi hides the Temple of Valadier. The small octagonal chapel was commissioned by Pope Leo XII, who was originally from the municipality of Genga, where the cave is located. Completed in 1828, the temple was believed to be the work of architect Giuseppe Valadier; however, it was later discovered to have been designed and built gradually by local architects. The neoclassical temple, also known as the Madonna of Frasassi shrine, was built using white travertine from a nearby quarry and is topped with a lead-covered dome.Photo: Getty Images/Mukul Banerjee Photography20/24Kailasa Temple (Maharashtra, India)The Ellora Caves of Maharashtra, India, contains 34 monasteries and temples carved into a basalt cliff and includes Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain sites of worship. The largest monolithic cave temple in the complex is Cave 16, Kailasa Temple, which was constructed by King Krishna I in the eighth century and is decorated with impressive carvings, sculptures, and ceiling paintings. The Ellora Caves were named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, and the site attracts tourists and pilgrims alike.Photo: Getty Images/Wilatlak Villette21/24Wat Tham Suea (Kanchanaburi, Thailand)Wat Tham Suea, also known as Tiger Cave Temple, is a Buddhist temple set atop a hill in the Krabi province. The temple was founded in the 1970s by a Buddhist monk, who reportedly was meditating in a cave on the site when he saw tigers roaming through the space. Visitors can climb over 1,200 steps to reach the large golden Buddha statue and enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding landscape.Photo: Getty Images22/24Jvari Monastery (Mtskheta, Georgia)The Christian religious site on a mountaintop overlooking Mtskheta dates back to the fourth century when a cross was reportedly constructed over a pagan place of worship. A smaller church was built in 545 and the present structure was completed in 605. The cliffside Jvari Monastery is a tetraconch, or a structure with four apses, and the cross-shaped building is decorated with reliefs. The monastery, along with other historic churches in Mtskheta, was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.Photo: Getty Images23/24Santa Cueva de Covadonga (Asturias, Spain)Set within a natural cave in the Picos de Europa mountain range, Santa Cueva de Covadonga is a Catholic sanctuary with a rich history. The site, according to Christian tradition, was where Visigoth nobleman Pelagius discovered a hermit worshiping the Virgin Mary, and it later became a hiding place for him and his troops during the Battle of Covadonga in 718. Following Pelagiuss victory, which was credited to the Virgin Mary, King Alfonso I had a chapel built in the cave dedicated to the Virgin. The current Romanesque-style chapel was designed by architect Luis Menndez-Pidal and completed in 1874.Photo: UCG/Getty Images24/24San Pietro Barisano (Matera, Italy)The ancient city of Matera in Southern Italy is home to numerous rupestrian, or rock-hewn, churches. The cave-filled area was first occupied during the Paleolithic era, and early churches were founded by Christian monks in spots used for pagan worship. The largest church in the city, San Pietro Barisano, has a foundation that dates to the 12th century and was enhanced in the 17th century with a bell tower and frescos. The Sassi and the Park of the Rupestrian Churches of Matera was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993, with the organization celebrating it as the most outstanding, intact example of a troglodyte settlement in the Mediterranean region.

Gaze into an antique mirroryou know you want toand imagine what the interior design trends for 2025 might be. What do you see? If youve followed AD PROs reporting on color trends, or checked in on the wellness amenities, AD100-approved retro designs, or in-demand layouts covered in AD PROs member-exclusive 2025 Interior Design Forecast, you probably have some idea. (Hint: Tactile and natural materials like terra-cotta and rattan arent going anywhere.),Still, the projects that will shine in in 2025 will have been in the works for a few years at least, meaning that what appears to have snapped into focus at the stroke of midnight in the New Year is actually more of a slow-motion zeitgeist. A constellation of textures, colors, fabric patterns, overlooked moments in design history, and new obsessions have all been brewing like coffee (or indeed, setting up in the fridge like Mocha Mousse) for a few years now, and in the coming months, well see it all come to fruition. We asked the experts for their predictions and hopes for 2025here are the decor ideas theyll be embracing in the coming year.A primary bedroom of a Hampstead family pied--terre by De Rosee Sa leans into the softer, earthy palette that many experts expect will predominate in 2025.Earth tones2025s color palette is like a visit to the produce aisle: The earthy colors of fruits and vegetables will abound next year, from the vivid yellow of a spaghetti squash to the soft brown of a coconut husk. Pantones 2025 Color of the Year, Mocha Mousse, sits somewhere between brownish pink and pinkish brown, making it a sophisticated choice for a multitude of elements, whether your tastes skew toward minimalism or maximalism. We predict seeing itor at least an organic, earth-toned cousin of iteverywhere from paneling to wall coverings, carpets, upholstery, and paint. I think we will see people choose warmer and deeper colors [in 2025], says New Yorkbased AD100 designer Young Huh. Brown and all of its surrounding shades are back with a vengeance.Fellow AD100 honoree Lauren Geremia sees a move toward gentler hues more generally: Something I am feeling these days is a softer approach to color, she says. We have been creating a lot of spaces lately with palettes toned down to a warm dusky glow that is more livable and enduring. UK-based Christian Bense loops burgundy into this moody palette. Burgundy provides the unexpected pop of color youre after, in a more sophisticated, grown-up way. It elevates a space without shouting in the same way a red might, he says. Beet red, youre here to stayso bring on the bordeaux-adjacent paint colors, textiles, and accessories.Curveball furnitureA living space designed by AD100 alumna Lauren Geremia boasts curved wood furniturea hot item for the new year.Laure Joliet

Discord is being taken to court with a class action lawsuit that alleges their subscription service, Nitro, is needlessly difficult to cancel. They claim that the cancellation flow is obstructed to the point that its anti-consumer.This class action lawsuit comes out of California, with the crux of the suit being rooted in a business practice law from the state. California Business and Professions Code 17602 is a rather long set of rules and regulations. The gist, however, is that it was put in place to keep companies from trapping people into subscriptions after they were purchased or purposely obfuscating the process of unsubscribing.Article continues after adAnd, according to some California consumers, Discord is doing just that.Discord sued over subscription service practicesThe suit alleges that there is no prominently located direct or link or button for the user to click in relation to trying to cancel the service.A user is required to navigate to the Subscriptions tab within the user settings and then locate a small Cancel button. After clicking the Cancel button, Discord then presents the user with a series of prompts to click through in order to cancel the subscription, including prompts which are seemingly designed to convince the user to not cancel their subscription.Article continues after adUnfortunately, the suit doesnt include any images of what this actual process looks like. Heres a quick rundown for context.Once you scroll through the options and find Subscriptions under the Billing Settings tab, youll see this screen:DexertoThe cancel button theyre referring to is the one next to Switch Plans in the bright Discord Nitro banner. After clicking cancel, youll get this screen:DexertoDiscord advertises a wealth of features you lose upon cancelling your subscription, along with an offer to get a discount if you opt to continue your sub. The menu scrolls and shows the user several advantages they lose out on if they opt to cancel.Article continues after adThey quoted Code 17602 in the suit, claiming that, This is hardly a timely and easy-to-use mechanism for cancellation,, nor a cancellation procedure that allows the consumer to cancel without engaging any further steps that obstruct or delay the consumers ability to terminate the automatic renewal or continuous service immediately.The plaintiffs also claimed that the need for tutorials on how to unsubscribe from Discord were a testament to how difficult it is to unsubscribe from the service.Article continues after adDiscord has yet to publicly respond to this class action lawsuit at the time of writing. However, Californias business laws have caused changes when it comes to online transactions in the past. For instance, a change to California business law companies like Valve, Nintendo, and Sony to disclose that downloadable games dont belong to you, but simply that youre purchasing the license to play them.

Opinion Last year, I wrote a piece here on El Reg about being murdered by ChatGPT as an illustration of the potential harms through the misuse of large language models and other forms of AI.Since then, I have spoken at events across the globe on the ethical development and use of artificial intelligence while still waiting for OpenAI to respond to my legal demands in relation to what I've alleged is the unlawful processing of my personal data in the training of their GPT models.In my earlier article, and my cease-and-desist letter to OpenAI, I stated that such models should be deleted.Essentially, global technology corporations have decided, rightly or wrongly, the law can be ignored in their pursuit of wealth and power.Household names and startups have, and still are, scraping the internet and media to train their models, typically without paying for it and while arguing they are doing nothing wrong. Unsurprisingly, a number of them have been fined or are settling out of court after being accused of breaking rules covering not just copyright but also online safety, privacy, and data protection. Big Tech has brought private litigation and watchdog scrutiny upon it, and potentially engendered new laws to fill in any regulatory gaps.But for them, it's just a cost of business.Another way forwardThere's a principle in the legal world, in America at least, known as the "fruit of the poisonous tree," in which evidence is inadmissible if it was illegally obtained, simply put. That evidence cannot be used to an advantage. A similar line of thinking could apply to AI systems; illegally built LLMs perhaps ought to be deleted.Machine-learning companies are harvesting fruit from their poisonous trees, gorging themselves on those fruits, getting fat from them, and using their seeds to plant yet more poisonous trees.After careful consideration over the time between my previous piece here on El Reg and now, I have come to a different opinion with regards to the deletion of these fruits, however. Not because I believe I was wrong, but because of moral and ethical considerations due to the potential environmental impact.Research by RISE, a Swedish state owned research institute, states that OpenAIs GPT-4 was trained with 1.7 trillion parameters using 13 trillion tokens, using 25,000 NVidia A100 GPUs costing $100 million and taking 100 days and using a whopping 50GWh of energy. That is a lot of energy; its roughly the equivalent power use of 4,500 homes over the same period.From a carbon emissions perspective, RICE says that such training (if trained in northern Swedens more environmentally friendly datacenters) is the equivalent of driving an average combustion-engine car around the Earth 300 times; if trained elsewhere, such as Germany, that impact increases 30 fold. And that's just one LLM version.In light of this information, I am forced to reconcile the ethical impact on the environment should such models be deleted under the "fruit of the poisonous tree" doctrine, and it is not something that can be reconciled as the environmental cost is too significant, in my view.So what can we do to ensure those who scrape the Web for commercial gain (in the case of training AI models) do not profit, do not gain an economic advantage, from such controversial activities? And furthermore, if disgorgement (through deletion) is not viable due to the consideration given above, how can we incentivize companies to treat peoples privacy and creative work with respect as well as being in line with the law when developing products and services?After all, if there is no meaningful consequence as stated, today's monetary penalties are merely line items for these companies, which have more wealth than some nations, and as such are ineffectual as a deterrent we will continue to see this behavior repeated ad infinitum which simply maintains the status quo and makes a mockery of the rule of law.Get their attentionIt seems to me the only obvious solution here is to remove these models from the control of executives and put them into the public domain. Given they were trained on our data, it makes sense that it should be public commons that way we all benefit from the processing of our data and the companies, particularly those found to have broken the law, see no benefit. The balance is returned, and we have a meaningful deterrent against those who seek to ignore their obligations to society.Under this solution, OpenAI, if found to have broken the law, would be forced to put its GPT models in the public domain and even banned from selling any services related to those models. This would result in a significant cost to OpenAI and its backers, which have spent billions developing these models and associated services. They would face a much higher risk of not being able to recover these costs through revenues, which in turn would force them to do more due diligence with regards to their legal obligations.If we then extend this model to online platforms that sell their users data to companies such as OpenAI - where they are banned from providing such access with the threat of disgorgement - they would also think twice before handing over personal data and intellectual property.If we remove the ability for organizations to profit from illegal behavior, while also recognizing the ethical issues of destroying the poisonous fruit, we might finally find ourselves in a situation where companies with immense power are forced to comply with their legal obligations simply as a matter of economics.Companies with immense power are forced to comply with their legal obligations simply as a matter of economicsOf course, such a position is not without its challenges. Some businesses try to wriggle out of fines and other punishment by arguing they have no legal presence in the jurisdictions bringing down the hammer. We would likely see that happen with the proposed approach.For that purpose we need global cooperation between sovereign states to effectively enforce the law, and this could be done through treaties similar to Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLATs) that exist today.As for whether current laws have the powers to issue such penalties, that is debatable. Whereas Europe's GDPR, for example, afford data protection authorities general powers to ban processing of personal data (under Article 58(2)(f)) it doesnt explicitly provide powers to force controllers to put the data into the public domainn. As such, any such effort would be challenged, and such challenges take many years to resolve through the courts, allowing the status quo to remain.However, the new big stick of the EU Commission is the Digital Markets Act (DMA) which has provisions included to allow the commission to extend the scope of DMA. But this would only apply to companies that are under the jurisdiction of the DMA, which is currently limited to just Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Booking, Bytedance, Meta, and Microsoft.We cannot allow Big Tech to continue to ignore our fundamental human rightsWe cannot allow Big Tech to continue to ignore our fundamental human rights. Had such an approach been taken 25 years ago in relation to privacy and data protection, arguably we would not have the situation we have to today, where some platforms routinely ignore their legal obligations at the detriment of society.Legislators did not understand the impact of weak laws or weak enforcement 25 years ago, but we have enough hindsight now to ensure we dont make the same mistakes moving forward. The time to regulate unlawful AI training is now, and we must learn from mistakes past to ensure that we provide effective deterrents and consequences to such ubiquitous law breaking in the future.As such, I will be dedicating much of my lobbying time in Brussels moving forward, pushing this approach with a hope to amended or pass new legislation to grant such powers, because it is clear that without appropriate penalties to act as a deterrence, these companies will not self regulate or comply with their legal obligations, where the profits for unlawful business practices, far outweigh the consequences. Alexander Hanff is a computer scientist and leading privacy technologist who helped develop Europe's GDPR and ePrivacy rules.

X has substantially raised the price of its top-tier user subscription in multiple regions to help bolster the platforms creator payouts. The increase for Premium Plus came into effect on December 21st according to X, raising prices in the US from $16 per month to $22, or from $168 to $229 for annual subscriptions.Many European countries like France, Germany, and Spain are impacted by a similar increase, taking monthly prices from 16 to 21. Monthly subscribers in Canada (currently paying $20), Australia ($26) and the UK (16) will also see pricing increased to $26, $35, and 17 respectively. The higher pricing is immediately applicable to new subscribers, with existing users grandfathered into their current rates until January 20th. Xs basic subscription tier remains unaffected.The pricing changes for US subscribers are the highest increase introduced since Elon Musk purchased the social media platform in 2022. X gave several reasons to justify the price hike, citing that Premium Plus is now completely ad-free which it described as a significant enhancement to the current user experience.X also references changes made to the X revenue sharing program in October, saying that subscriptions now more directly fuels creator payouts to reward content quality and engagement rather than ad views alone. Premium Plus subscribers will additionally receive priority user support, access to additional features like Xs Radar trend monitoring tool, and higher limits on the platforms Grok AI models.

Image: Nile BowieIll admit, Ive never been fond of speedrunning. The thought of shaving milliseconds off a time in a video game while playing the same sequence over and over sounds, in theory, more frustrating than fun. Sure, as a spectator, there is definitely joy in appreciating the wizardry of players pulling off pixel-perfect feats and shattering a runtime record. But I have neither the time nor the mettle to contemplate doing so myself.Fortunately, this year gave us a game that weaved together 8-bit era charm, bite-sized accessibility, and addictive skill refinement. Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition was my gateway to finally getting speedrunning, and its some of the most fun Ive had gaming in 2024.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube789kWatch on YouTube Its the only game Ive played this year that resulted in me letting out an involuntary shout of triumph when I bested my competitors in consecutive speedrunning challenges, earning myself a (screenshot of a) gold trophy. It was sweet, sweet consolation for all the IRL trophies I failed to win throughout my life, and so it brought me immense satisfaction.Image: Nile BowieJust to recap, the game was released in July and features condensed speedrunning challenges extracted from 13 iconic NES titles. Its World Championship Mode allows for placement on a weekly leaderboard while the Survival Mode pits you against other players' ghost times across three challenges to avoid elimination. Theres also an eight-player party mode.The game received solid but not glowing reviews (Nintendo Life gave it a 7/10). Some critics deem it less ambitious and creative than developer indieszeros previous retro compilations, the quirky NES Remix series on Wii U and 3DS. I wouldn't necessarily dispute that but I found NWC's focus on pure speedrunning challenges to be meticulously well-executed. Speed demonPart of what makes it so difficult to put down is its snappy gamefeel and sound design. Each challenge begins with a whistle countdown and ends with a satisfying pop and synth effect in a way that tugs your dopamine receptors to smash 'Play again' to improve your PB. Its an even better experience playing with an NES controller for the as-intended button feel.Though it might not be my Game of the Year (that one goes to Animal Well), it brought out the competitor in me and ultimately made me a better player. While weve all played our share of NES games over the years, World Championships emphasis on mastery helped me discover the deep control scheme nuances of classic titles in a way I hadnt before.Take, for example, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, a game Id barely touched before this due in part to its infamous difficulty. Working my way through its speedrunning challenges helped me come to grips with the games punishing combat. Some of its challenges, like the Master-rank 'Neigh Slayer', initially felt impossible to complete with an S-tier time.Images: Nile BowieThat one in particular involves beating a horse-headed boss with precisely timed aerial sword slices, a move that eventually felt intuitive with practice. When I later fired up the original version of Zelda II on Nintendo Switch Online, I found myself enjoying the game far more than I ever had before because World Championships had essentially shown me the ropes.Even games I know fairly well, like Super Mario Bros., Excitebike, and Kirbys Adventure, had new layers revealed with help from the Nintendo Power-inspired 'Classified Information' sheets, which cover the most efficient routes, combat strategies, and movement tricks. I came away with a deeper appreciation of the craftsmanship behind these classics.For several months, I've tackled its weekly challenges religiously, even managing to top the leaderboard (once). I find the games competitive modes perfect for zeroing in on the specific challenges on offer every seven days. Focusing on the handful of challenges each week helped me push the envelope and consistently improve my personal best timings.Images: Nile BowieWatching the weekly replays of the top players has been equally fascinating (Nintendo has since put up a website showing off each weeks top performances). Seeing their precision and efficiency in action is humbling and sometimes surprising: there was a small controversy early on when a cheeky player exploited a glitch in Donkey Kong that few people knew existed.The games engagement has understandably waned in the months since its release, with fewer taking part in weekly competitions. While its a long shot, Ive still got my fingers crossed for DLC content. Punch-Out!! is a glaring first-party omission, and the inclusion of landmark third-party NES classics from the Contra, Castlevania, or Mega Man series would draw players back if agreements could be made with Konami or Capcom.One of the coolest things the developers could add is a new standalone challenge based on the actual 1990 Nintendo World Championships custom cartridge (among the rarest NES collectibles that sell for tens of thousands of dollars), which tracks the cumulative scores of three Super Mario Bros., Rad Racer, and Tetris played in sequence. Incorporating it feels like a no-brainer. There is also niche demand for it, with various reproductions of the custom cart available, one of which Nintendo has acted against. Give the people what they want, I say.The announcement trailer leaned heavily into the nostalgia for the 1990 eventMany will naturally be pining for an SNES Edition of this title with the same format, just as folks were hoping for an SNES Remix. Its hard to say whether theyll be such a follow-up, but one hopes Nintendo and indieszero dont sit on their hands. Nintendo wont shy away from further celebrations of its legacy, but well likely have to wait for another big anniversary or a big gap between heavy hitters on in the Switch (2) release calendar!As it stands, Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition may not have been the flashiest game of 2024, but, for me, it remains a standout with plenty of untapped potential. Its a loving homage to the glory days of the NES and the 8-bit culture that surrounded it. Most of all, its a celebration of the timeless classics that still shape my love for gaming.Image: Zion Grassl / Nintendo Life Tournament scandalRelated GamesSee AlsoShare:00 Nile Bowie is an American journalist based in Singapore who grew up on Nintendo. When he isnt reporting on politics, business, and international relations, hes very likely playing his Switch, tracking down old Game Boy cartridges, or reading Nintendo Life with a cat on his lap. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related Articles46 Games You Should Pick Up In The Nintendo Switch eShop Holiday Sale (Europe)Every game we scored 9/10 or higher'Switch 2' Is Projected To Be The "Clear Winner" In The Next Console GenerationWhile either Sony or Microsoft will "struggle mightily"PSA: Switch 2 Is Getting Revealed In The Next 100 DaysSet your AlarmosYour 'Nintendo Switch Year In Review 2024' Stats Are Available NowWhat's your hour count? System:Nintendo SwitchPublisher:NintendoDeveloper:Nintendo, indieszeroGenre:Action, Party, Platformer, RacingPlayers:8 (1 Online)Release Date:Nintendo Switch 18th Jul 2024, $59.99 18th Jul 2024, 49.99Switch eShop 18th Jul 2024, $29.99 18th Jul 2024, 24.99Official Site:nintendo.comWhere to buy:Buy on Amazon Buy eShop Credit:

Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube789kWatch on YouTube Third time's a charm, as they say. Yes, we're back with our third and final look at our video team's top five Switch games of 2024.It's worth repeating here that these aren't necessarily games that launched in 2024, but are merely games that the video chaps played in 2024. You'll see why we felt the need to reiterate that when you see what the lovely Alex has chosen for his list of games. Some new, some old(er), but all of them are absolute whoppers.In case you missed our previous videos, here's a reminder of what Felix and Zion chose for their respective lists:Felix Felix NavidadZion Zi-on the first day of Christmas So there you have it! What do you make of the chaps' choices for this year? Does your own GotY for 2024 feature in any of these videos? Let us know.Related GamesSee AlsoShare:01 Nintendo Lifes resident horror fanatic, when hes not knee-deep in Resident Evil and Silent Hill lore, Ollie likes to dive into a good horror book while nursing a lovely cup of tea. He also enjoys long walks and listens to everything from TOOL to Chuck Berry. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesToby Fox Shares Another Development Update On Deltarune Chapter 3, 4 & 5"Progress has still been steady"46 Games You Should Pick Up In The Nintendo Switch eShop Holiday Sale (Europe)Every game we scored 9/10 or higher'Switch 2' Is Projected To Be The "Clear Winner" In The Next Console GenerationWhile either Sony or Microsoft will "struggle mightily"PSA: Switch 2 Is Getting Revealed In The Next 100 DaysSet your Alarmos

The cybersecurity world is full of technical lingo and jargon. At TechCrunch, we have been writing about cybersecurity for years, and even we sometimes need a refresher on what exactly a specific word or expression means. Thats why we have created this glossary, which includes some of the most common and not so common words and expressions that we use in our articles, and explanations of how, and why, we use them.This is a developing compendium, and we will update it regularly.Advanced persistent threat (APT)An advanced persistent threat (APT) is often categorized as a hacker, or group of hackers, which gains and maintains unauthorized access to a targeted system. The main aim of an APT intruder is to remain undetected for long periods of time, often to conduct espionage and surveillance, to steal data, or sabotage critical systems.APTs are traditionally well-resourced hackers, including the funding to pay for their malicious campaigns, and access to hacking tools typically reserved by governments. As such, many of the long-running APT groups are associated with nation states, like China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia. In recent years, weve seen examples of non-nation state cybercriminal groups that are financially motivated (such as theft and money laundering) carrying out cyberattacks similar in terms of persistence and capabilities as some traditional government-backed APT groups.(See: Hacker)Arbitrary code executionThe ability to run commands or malicious code on an affected system, often because of a security vulnerability in the systems software. Arbitrary code execution can be achieved either remotely or with physical access to an affected system (such as someones device). In the cases where arbitrary code execution can be achieved over the internet, security researchers typically call this remote code execution.Often, code execution is used as a way to plant a back door for maintaining long-term and persistent access to that system, or for running malware that can be used to access deeper parts of the system or other devices on the same network.(See also: Remote code execution)Black/white hatHackers historically have been categorized as either black hat or white hat, usually depending on the motivations of the hacking activity carried out. A black hat hacker may be someone who might break the law and hack for money or personal gain, such as a cybercriminal. White hat hackers generally hack within legal bounds, like as part of a penetration test sanctioned by the target company, or to collect bug bounties finding flaws in various software and disclosing them to the affected vendor. For those who hack with less clearcut motivations, they may be regarded as a gray hat. Famously, the hacking group the L0pht used the term gray hat in an interview with The New York Times Magazine in 1999. While still commonly used in modern security parlance, many have moved away from the hat terminology.(Also see: Hacker, Hacktivist)BotnetBotnets are networks of hijacked internet-connected devices, such as webcams and home routers, that have been compromised by malware (or sometimes weak or default passwords) for the purposes of being used in cyberattacks. Botnets can be made up of hundreds or thousands of devices and are typically controlled by a command-and-control server that sends out commands to ensnared devices. Botnets can be used for a range of malicious reasons, like using the distributed network of devices to mask and shield the internet traffic of cybercriminals, deliver malware, or harness their collective bandwidth to maliciously crash websites and online services with huge amounts of junk internet traffic.(See also: Command-and-control server; Distributed denial-of-service)BugA bug is essentially the cause of a software glitch, such as an error or a problem that causes the software to crash or behave in an unexpected way. In some cases, a bug can also be a security vulnerability.The term bug originated in 1947, at a time when early computers were the size of rooms and made up of heavy mechanical and moving equipment. The first known incident of a bug found in a computer was when a moth disrupted the electronics of one of these room-sized computers.(See also: Vulnerability)Command-and-control (C2) serverCommand-and-control servers (also known as C2 servers) are used by cybercriminals to remotely manage and control their fleets of compromised devices and launch cyberattacks, such as delivering malware over the internet and launching distributed denial-of-service attacks.(See also: Botnet; Distributed denial-of-service)CryptojackingCryptojacking is when a devices computational power is used, with or without the owners permission, to generate cryptocurrency. Developers sometimes bundle code in apps and on websites, which then uses the devices processors to complete complex mathematical calculations needed to create new cryptocurrency. The generated cryptocurrency is then deposited in virtual wallets owned by the developer.Some malicious hackers use malware to deliberately compromise large numbers of unwitting computers to generate cryptocurrency on a large and distributed scale.Data breachWhen we talk about data breaches, we ultimately mean the improper removal of data from where it should have been. But the circumstances matter and can alter the terminology we use to describe a particular incident.A data breach is when protected data was confirmed to have improperly left a system from where it was originally stored and usually confirmed when someone discovers the compromised data. More often than not, were referring to the exfiltration of data by a malicious cyberattacker or otherwise detected as a result of an inadvertent exposure. Depending on what is known about the incident, we may describe it in more specific terms where details are known.(See also: Data exposure; Data leak)Data exposureA data exposure (a type of data breach) is when protected data is stored on a system that has no access controls, such as because of human error or a misconfiguration. This might include cases where a system or database is connected to the internet but without a password. Just because data was exposed doesnt mean the data was actively discovered, but nevertheless could still be considered a data breach.Data leakA data leak (a type of data breach) is where protected data is stored on a system in a way that it was allowed to escape, such as due to a previously unknown vulnerability in the system or by way of insider access (such as an employee). A data leak can mean that data could have been exfiltrated or otherwise collected, but there may not always be the technical means, such as logs, to know for sure.Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS)A distributed denial-of-service, or DDoS, is a kind of cyberattack that involves flooding targets on the internet with junk web traffic in order to overload and crash the servers and cause the service, such as a website, online store, or gaming platform to go down.DDoS attacks are launched by botnets, which are made up of networks of hacked internet-connected devices (such as home routers and webcams) that can be remotely controlled by a malicious operator, usually from a command-and-control server. Botnets can be made up of hundreds or thousands of hijacked devices.While a DDoS is a form of cyberattack, these data-flooding attacks are not hacks in themselves, as they dont involve the breach and exfiltration of data from their targets, but instead cause a denial of service event to the affected service.(See also: Botnet; Command-and-control server)EncryptionEncryption is the way and means in which information, such as files, documents, and private messages, are scrambled to make the data unreadable to anyone other than to its intended owner or recipient. Encrypted data is typically scrambled using an encryption algorithm essentially a set of mathematical formulas that determines howNearly all modern encryption algorithms in use today are open source, allowing anyone (including security professionals and cryptographers) to review and check the algorithm to make sure its free of faults or flaws. Some encryption algorithms are stronger than others, meaning data protected by some weaker algorithms can be decrypted by harnessing large amounts of computational power.Encryption is different from encoding, which simply converts data into a different and standardized format, usually for the benefit of allowing computers to read the data.(See also: End-to-end encryption)End-to-end encryption (E2EE)End-to-end encryption (or E2EE) is a security feature built into many messaging and file-sharing apps, and is widely considered one of the strongest ways of securing digital communications as they traverse the internet.E2EE scrambles the file or message on the senders device before its sent in a way that allows only the intended recipient to decrypt its contents, making it near-impossible for anyone including a malicious hacker, or even the app maker to snoop inside on someones private communications. In recent years, E2EE has become the default security standard for many messaging apps, including Apples iMessage, Facebook Messenger, Signal, and WhatsApp.E2EE has also become the subject of governmental frustration in recent years, as encryption makes it impossible for tech companies or app providers to give over information that they themselves do not have access to.(See also: Encryption)Escalation of privilegesMost modern systems are protected with multiple layers of security, including the ability to set user accounts with more restricted access to the underlying systems configurations and settings. This prevents these users or anyone with improper access to one of these user accounts from tampering with the core underlying system. However, an escalation of privileges event can involve exploiting a bug or tricking the system into granting the user more access rights than they should have.Malware can also take advantage of bugs or flaws caused by escalation of privileges by gaining deeper access to a device or a connected network, potentially allowing the malware to spread.ExploitAn exploit is the way and means in which a vulnerability is abused or taken advantage of, usually in order to break into a system.(See also: Bug; Vulnerability)ExtortionIn general terms, extortion is the act of obtaining something, usually money, through the use of force and intimidation. Cyber extortion is no different, as it typically refers to a category of cybercrime whereby attackers demand payment from victims by threatening to damage, disrupt, or expose their sensitive information.Extortion is often used in ransomware attacks, where hackers typically exfiltrate company data before demanding a ransom payment from the hacked victim. But extortion has quickly become its own category of cybercrime, with many, often younger, financially motivated hackers, opting to carry out extortion-only attacks, which snub the use of encryption in favor of simple data theft.(Also see: Ransomware)ForensicsForensic investigations involve analyzing data and information contained in a computer, server, or mobile device, looking for evidence of a hack, crime, or some sort of malfeasance. Sometimes, in order to access the data, corporate or law enforcement investigators rely on specialized devices and tools, like those made by Cellebrite and Grayshift, which are designed to unlock and break the security of computers and cellphones to access the data within.HackerThere is no one single definition of hacker. The term has its own rich history, culture, and meaning within the security community. Some incorrectly conflate hackers, or hacking, with wrongdoing.By our definition and use, we broadly refer to a hacker as someone who is a breaker of things, usually by altering how something works to make it perform differently in order to meet their objectives. In practice, that can be something as simple as repairing a machine with non-official parts to make it function differently as intended, or work even better.In the cybersecurity sense, a hacker is typically someone who breaks a system or breaks the security of a system. That could be anything from an internet-connected computer system to a simple door lock. But the persons intentions and motivations (if known) matter in our reporting, and guides how we accurately describe the person, or their activity.There are ethical and legal differences between a hacker who works as a security researcher, who is professionally tasked with breaking into a companys systems with their permission to identify security weaknesses that can be fixed before a malicious individual has a chance to exploit them; and a malicious hacker who gains unauthorized access to a system and steals data without obtaining anyones permission.Because the term hacker is inherently neutral, we generally apply descriptors in our reporting to provide context about who were talking about. If we know that an individual works for a government and is contracted to maliciously steal data from a rival government, were likely to describe them as a nation-state or government hackeradvanced persistent threat), for example. If a gang is known to use malware to steal funds from individuals bank accounts, we may describe them as financially motivated hackers, or if there is evidence of criminality or illegality (such as an indictment), we may describe them simply as cybercriminals.And, if we dont know motivations or intentions, or a person describes themselves as such, we may simply refer to a subject neutrally as a hacker, where appropriate.Hack-and-leak operationSometimes, hacking and stealing data is only the first step. In some cases, hackers then leak the stolen data to journalists, or directly post the data online for anyone to see. The goal can be either to embarrass the hacking victim, or to expose alleged malfeasance.The origins of modern hack-and-leak operations date back to the early- and mid-2000s, when groups like el8, pHC (Phrack High Council) and zf0 were targeting people in the cybersecurity industry who, according to these groups, had foregone the hacker ethos and had sold out. Later, there are the examples of hackers associated with Anonymous and leaking data from U.S. government contractor HBGary, and North Korean hackers leaking emails stolen from Sony as retribution for the Hollywood comedy, The Interview.Some of the most recent and famous examples are the hack against the now-defunct government spyware pioneer Hacking Team in 2015, and the infamous Russian government-led hack-and-leak of Democratic National Committee emails ahead of the 2016 U.S. presidential elections. Iranian government hackers tried to emulate the 2016 playbook during the 2024 elections.HacktivistA particular kind of hacker who hacks for what they and perhaps the public perceive as a good cause, hence the portmanteau of the words hacker and activist. Hacktivism has been around for more than two decades, starting perhaps with groups like the Cult of the Dead Cow in the late 1990s. Since then, there have been several high profile examples of hacktivist hackers and groups, such as Anonymous, LulzSec, and Phineas Fisher.(Also see: Hacker)InfosecShort for information security, an alternative term used to describe defensive cybersecurity focused on the protection of data and information. Infosec may be the preferred term for industry veterans, while the term cybersecurity has become widely accepted. In modern times, the two terms have become largely interchangeable.InfostealersInfostealers are malware capable of stealing information from a persons computer or device. Infostealers are often bundled in pirated software, like Redline, which when installed will primarily seek out passwords and other credentials stored in the persons browser or password manager, then surreptitiously upload the victims passwords to the attackers systems. This lets the attacker sign in using those stolen passwords. Some infostealers are also capable of stealing session tokens from a users browser, which allow the attacker to sign in to a persons online account as if they were that user but without needing their password or multifactor authentication code.(See also: Malware)JailbreakJailbreaking is used in several contexts to mean the use of exploits and other hacking techniques to circumvent the security of a device, or removing the restrictions a manufacturer puts on hardware or software. In the context of iPhones, for example, a jailbreak is a technique to remove Apples restrictions on installing apps outside of its walled garden or to gain the ability to conduct security research on Apple devices, which is normally highly restricted. In the context of AI, jailbreaking means figuring out a way to get a chatbot to give out information that its not supposed to.KernelThe kernel, as its name suggests, is the core part of an operating system that connects and controls virtually all hardware and software. As such, the kernel has the highest level of privileges, meaning it has access to virtually any data on the device. Thats why, for example, apps such as antivirus and anti-cheat software run at the kernel level, as they require broad access to the device. Having kernel access allows these apps to monitor for malicious code.MalwareMalware is a broad umbrella term that describes malicious software. Malware can land in many forms and be used to exploit systems in different ways. As such, malware that is used for specific purposes can often be referred to as its own subcategory. For example, the type of malware used for conducting surveillance on peoples devices is also called spyware, while malware that encrypts files and demands money from its victims is called ransomware.(See also: Infostealers; Ransomware; Spyware)Metadata is information about something digital, rather than its contents. That can include details about the size of a file or document, who created it, and when, or in the case of digital photos, where the image was taken and information about the device that took the photo. Metadata may not identify the contents of a file, but it can be useful in determining where a document came from or who authored it. Metadata can also refer to information about an exchange, such as who made a call or sent a text message, but not the contents of the call or the message.RansomwareRansomware is a type of malicious software (or malware) that prevents device owners from accessing its data, typically by encrypting the persons files. Ransomware is usually deployed by cybercriminal gangs who demand a ransom payment usually cryptocurrency in return for providing the private key to decrypt the persons data.In some cases, ransomware gangs will steal the victims data before encrypting it, allowing the criminals to extort the victim further by threatening to publish the files online. Paying a ransomware gang is no guarantee that the victim will get their stolen data back, or that the gang will delete the stolen data.One of the first-ever ransomware attacks was documented in 1989, in which malware was distributed via floppy disk (an early form of removable storage) to attendees of the World Health Organizations AIDS conference. Since then, ransomware has evolved into a multi-billion dollar criminal industry as attackers refine their tactics and hone in on big-name corporate victims.(See also: Malware; Sanctions)Remote code executionRemote code execution refers to the ability to run commands or malicious code (such as malware) on a system from over a network, often the internet, without requiring any human interaction from the target. Remote code execution attacks can range in complexity but can be highly damaging when vulnerabilities are exploited.(See also: Arbitrary code execution)SanctionsCybersecurity-related sanctions work similarly to traditional sanctions in that they make it illegal for businesses or individuals to transact with a sanctioned entity. In the case of cyber sanctions, these entities are suspected of carrying out malicious cyber-enabled activities, such as ransomware attacks or the laundering of ransom payments made to hackers.The U.S. Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) administers sanctions. The Treasurys Cyber-Related Sanctions Program was established in 2015 as part of the Obama administrations response to cyberattacks targeting U.S. government agencies and private sector U.S. entities.While a relatively new addition to the U.S. governments bureaucratic armory against ransomware groups, sanctions are increasingly used to hamper and deter malicious state actors from conducting cyberattacks. Sanctions are often used against hackers who are out of reach of U.S. indictments or arrest warrants, such as ransomware crews based in Russia.Spyware (commercial, government)A broad term, like malware, that covers a range of surveillance monitoring software. Spyware is typically used to refer to malware made by private companies, such as NSO Groups Pegasus, Intellexas Predator, and Hacking Teams Remote Control System, among others, which the companies sell to government agencies. In more generic terms, these types of malware are like remote access tools, which allows their operators usually government agents to spy and monitor their targets, giving them the ability to access a devices camera and microphone or exfiltrate data. Spyware is also referred to as commercial or government spyware, or mercenary spyware.(See also: Stalkerware)StalkerwareStalkerware is a kind of surveillance malware (and a form of spyware) that is usually sold to ordinary consumers under the guise of child or employee monitoring software but is often used for the purposes of spying on the phones of unwitting individuals, oftentimes spouses and domestic partners. The spyware grants access to the targets messages, location, and more. Stalkerware typically requires physical access to a targets device, which gives the attacker the ability to install it directly on the targets device, often because the attacker knows the targets passcode.(See also: Spyware)Threat modelWhat are you trying to protect? Who are you worried about that could go after you or your data? How could these attackers get to the data? The answers to these kinds of questions are what will lead you to create a threat model. In other words, threat modeling is a process that an organization or an individual has to go through to design software that is secure, and devise techniques to secure it. A threat model can be focused and specific depending on the situation. A human rights activist in an authoritarian country has a different set of adversaries, and data, to protect than a large corporation in a democratic country that is worried about ransomware, for example.When we describe unauthorized access, were referring to the accessing of a computer system by breaking any of its security features, such as a login prompt or a password, which would be considered illegal under the U.S. Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, or the CFAA. The Supreme Court in 2021 clarified the CFAA, finding that accessing a system lacking any means of authorization for example, a database with no password is not illegal, as you cannot break a security feature that isnt there.Its worth noting that unauthorized is a broadly used term and often used by companies subjectively, and as such has been used to describe malicious hackers who steal someones password to break in through to incidents of insider access or abuse by employees.Virtual private network (VPN)A virtual private network, or VPN, is a networking technology that allows someone to virtually access a private network, such as their workplace or home, from anywhere else in the world. Many use a VPN provider to browse the web, thinking that this can help to avoid online surveillance.TechCrunch has a skeptics guide to VPNs that can help you decide if a VPN makes sense for you. If it does, well show you how to set up your own private and encrypted VPN server that only you control. And if it doesnt, we explore some of the privacy tools and other measures you can take tomeaningfully improve your privacy online.VulnerabilityA vulnerability (also referred to as a security flaw) is a type of bug that causes software to crash or behave in an unexpected way that affects the security of the system or its data. Sometimes, two or more vulnerabilities can be used in conjunction with each other known as vulnerability chaining to gain deeper access to a targeted system.(See also: Bug; Exploit)Zero-dayA zero-day is a specific type of security vulnerability that has been publicly disclosed or exploited but the vendor who makes the affected hardware or software has not been given time (or zero days) to fix the problem. As such, there may be no immediate fix or mitigation to prevent an affected system from being compromised. This can be particularly problematic for internet-connected devices.(See also: Vulnerability)First published on September 20, 2024. Last updated on December 23, 2024.

Yet another major investment is going down in the travel sector, underscoring its ongoing rebound after the Covid-19 pandemic. Prosus, the tech conglomerate controlled by Naspers, is paying $1.7 billion to acquire Despegar, one of the biggest online travel agencies in Latin America, to scale up its operations in the region.Despegars board of directors has approved the deal, which will now go to a shareholder vote, Prosus said in a statement today. It expects the deal to close in Q2 of 2025.With GDP across LatAm expected to grow 2%-3% next year, Prosus wants to use Despegar to lean into greater economies of scale in the region. It already owns food delivery platform iFood and Sympla, Latin Americas answer to Ticketmaster, and together it will have 100 million customers across all three properties after the deal closes.This acquisition is a clear demonstration of our strategy to build value by creating a high-quality ecosystem of complementary businesses, said Fabricio Bloisi, CEO of Prosus Group, in a statement. Despegar is a highly profitable company, with an attractive market position, and an experienced management team making it a natural addition to our presence in Latin America. We will accelerate Despegars growth by leveraging the extensive customer touchpoints within our portfolio.This is a decent outcome for Despegar, which has struggled to grow in the last decade of economic, social and public health turmoil in the region.The company, based out of Argentina, is publicly traded on the NYSE and had market cap of $1.24 billion as of last Friday, at market close. This deal which specifically will see Prosus pay $19.50 per share is a 33% premium on that price, but it is also, notably, still less than the market cap that Despegar had on its first day of public trading in 2017.On Despegars side, it could give the company a boost of investment in the near term. For our customers, this means access to an expanded portfolio of services, better experiences, greater loyalty benefits and more complete solutions tailored to their needs, said Damin Scokin, CEO of Despegar, in a statement. The deal is one of the latest of a spate of investments in travel and tourism technology at the moment. Most recently, last week, Hostaway which builds software for the private short-term rental market raised $365 million led by General Atlantic. General Atlantic, as it happens, was once an investor in Despegar when it was still a private company. Other backers over the years included Accel, Tiger Global, Sequoia, hotel giant Accor, TPG and even Yahoo (parent company of TechCrunch).Despegar is one of the older and bigger online travel brands in the market, having been around in one form or another (it also controls another major Latin American travel brand, Decolar in Brazil) since 1999, during the first dot-com boom.These days, it is active in some 19 different markets in the region, operating both a direct-to-consumer service as well as a white-label offering used by banks, airlines and other retailers selling travel services to their customers.And yes, its worked to keep up with the times, and it has built an conversational chatbot called Sofia. Competing against the likes of Hotel Urbano, Despegar says that it sees some 9.5 million transactions annually, working out to $5.3 billion in gross bookings, $706 million in revenue, and EBITDA of $116 million (based on its full-year 2023 results).

Experience the intensity of Warfare, the gripping war film that brings together Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza in their highly anticipated collaboration after Civil War!The VFX are made by:Cinesite (VFX Supervisor: Simon Stanley-Clamp)Directors: Alex Garland, Ray MendozaRelease Date: 2025 Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2024The post Warfare appeared first on The Art of VFX.